Crystal's Legacy
by X the Reaper
Summary: Months after the events of "Jailbreak", Homeworld has sent 'the perfect warrior' to Earth to investigate Jasper and Peridot's disappearance and finish their mission. Steven and the Crystal Gems must once more rise to the occasion, but can they hope to defeat an enemy unlike any they've seen before? And what is this mystery Gem's dark past and connection to the Crystal Gems anyways?
1. Chapter 1

**Yo everyone, X the Reaper here with yet another story from the depths of my subconscious. I know this will probably kill me eventually, but I need goals for this summer and right now I'm just not 'feeling' like writing any of my current stories. So I started randomly watching Cartoon Network and came across this show called Steven Universe...and let's just say I was intrigued by what I saw, enough that I found something to keep writing about.**

 **Disclaimer: Steven Universe and all affiliated characters belong to Rebecca Sugar and Cartoon Network. X the Reaper owns nothing save any OCs created solely for the purpose of this fic and any resemblance to characters depicted in the show or future characters is purely coincidental.**

 **Alright, let's do this!**

* * *

It has often been humanity's dream that somewhere out in the far cosmos there is intelligent life. Somewhere, in the vast spaces of the universe there is another race of beings who have evolved to the point that they too have wondered if there is such a thing as fellow sentient life outside their spheres of existence. The ideas of the great and powerful unknown have long held humans captive. Tales of Cyclops, sea serpents, golems, spirits haunting the world have long been part of human mythology and folklore, and with the world becoming a more learned place and proving those legends to be just that, the intensity of human imagination moved to the stars and beyond in search of new monsters to dream about. Books, movies, games and more tell the tale of aliens arriving on earth, conquering it, engaging in war with humans, even forming peaceful relations with them, but all share the common theme.

But why does this fascination exist, aside from just being a product of human imagination? Perhaps it's because people refuse to believe that in the vast possibilities of the universe, it is inconceivable that Earth was the only place life developed. It would explain the constant efforts to find life, or at least evidence of it, on planets like Mars, or how so many people are willing to put stock in the idea of UFOs despite there often being only the barest bits of evidence of any of it being true, and more often than not proven to be false. Perhaps it's simply because there are few things more terrifying than the thought of being alone, and perhaps the idea of Earth being nothing but an insignificant speck of blue dust in a vast, cold space is just too much for anyone to handle, and so the thought that 'we are not alone' is one that many cling to in the blind hope that it proves to someday be true.

Unknown to most humans, it had long ago been proven true.

In fact, an entire war was fought over the fate of the insignificant little blue planet thousands of years ago by an alien race called Gems, literal sentient gemstones who desired to use the planet and everything on it as resources for the growth of their empire and race as they had done to countless worlds beforehand. Using the Kindergartens, massive breeding grounds of Gem machinery, the gemstones of the planet would be altered to give rise to new Gems, the cost of which would be draining the planet of every resource upon it, including its lifeforms.

But not every Gem agreed to this slaughter of intelligent life. Some saw something different about the race called 'humanity', something that marked them different from the other races they had eliminated in the past. Perhaps they believed they had the potential to someday rival the Gems as a power, or perhaps they had grown jaded over the constant destruction of so many potential species of greatness that they finally had enough and fought for this bunch.

Regardless of reasoning, a small sect of the Gems, calling themselves the 'Crystal Gems', fought to protect Earth's life, which they saw as beings worth preserving despite their inferiority to the Gem race, from their counterparts who cared nothing for it. Ultimately, the rebels, led by a high-ranking Gem known as Rose Quartz, won at the cost of many lives on both sides and the sanity of countless more. What remained of the Crystal Gems under Rose swore to remain and protect Earth in secret, fighting the monsters their fellow Gems had become and safeguarding the humans as best they could.

But the other Gems, the 'Homeworld' Gems, had not been destroyed, simply deciding the war was no longer worth the cost and withdrawing in force. They erased all records of Earth save the barest amounts for the next generation to learn, and contented themselves with expanding and rebuilding, understanding Earth was going nowhere in the meantime and they had the time to wait.

A peace was maintained for 5,000 years. Finally, the Diamond Authority, the three Gems who had led the empire to conquest and war, sent a technician Gem, a Peridot, back to the planet seemingly to reactivate the Kindergarten and check up on a few...special experiments, but actually to confirm if there were any Crystal Gems still alive. The Peridot would later return with news that some remnant of Rose Quartz's army yet existed, news that would be further confirmed by the surprise arrival of another Gem, a Lapis Lazuli lost during the war but now returned to a world far different than what she remembered. After interrogation she revealed that all that remained of the once-mighty Crystal Gems were three gems and a young human boy with healing powers.

Both were sent back to the planet (the Peridot to finish her task and the Lapis to prove her loyalty to Homeworld) under the supervision of a Jasper veteran of the Gem War to finish what the Homeworld had started. This Jasper in particular had been a loyalist commander and was chosen for both her skill and her power, not to mention a personal grudge against Rose Quartz. They had been given one of the empire's more advanced warships and sent off with the orders to capture and/or kill the rebels as needed, the expedition personally vouched for by Yellow Diamond of the Diamond Authority herself. The Jasper had promised she would not fail.

That had been months ago and not a single transmission had returned to the Gem Homeworld in all that time, save one coded for the Authority's eyes only mentioning that the Crystal Gems had been captured and were being returned to the Homeworld, as well as Rose Quartz herself. Efforts to locate the ship had met with failure and it was becoming increasingly obvious that the Gems in question had failed miserably.

In fact, it was the first thing that the three Gems gathered in the dark green chamber situated in the heart of the Homeworld could agree on upon their meeting.

"It's pointless to wait any longer," a tall gem with long, pointy yellow hair stated simply, tapping her similarly colored yellow fingers on the edge of her throne. Her entire body save for those fingers was covered in a set of black armor, only broken in color by the shining yellow diamond on the center of her chest. Upon her head was a black diadem with three yellow gems nestled within, leaving no doubt as to her identity as Yellow Diamond of the Diamond Authority. "It's clear that Jasper and her subordinates failed. It's time we finish this."

"Indeed," a similarly clad Gem agreed, the only difference being the fact that she was blue where her companion was yellow: Blue Diamond of the Diamond Authority. "But the question now is how do we proceed? We could send another warship with soldiers, but I'd rather not waste more resources than necessary..."

"I say we bring out the entire fleet, blast wherever it is their pathetic base is until it's just scorched earth, and threaten the pathetic inhabitants of the planet with similar annihilation if they decide to rise up. Then we reactivate the Kindergartens, finish the harvest, and forget this whole episode ever happened."

Blue rolled her eyes. "And that is what I was talking about when I said not wasting any more resources. Besides Yellow, you had your chance to succeed and you failed. It's my and White Diamond's turn to plan."

"Rose Quartz is not to be underestimated," Yellow hissed. "Only overwhelming force will finish her and her remnants of a rebellion. If we don't stomp them out with assurance, they'll just keep coming back. The resources will be worth the waste."

"But the fallout won't be," Blue responded. "Do you recall why we stopped really attacking Earth? We still had the resources to finish it, but Earth was so damaged it wouldn't have been worth the effort of harvesting. The last thing we want to do is cause that to happen again."

"Are you truly so afraid of those fleshlings?" Yellow sneered. "They were nothing to us before, and surely they're nothing now."

"That's where you're wrong. From what I understand, human technology has advanced light-years in the past 5,000 years just as ours has. If even half of the information given to us by the Peridot Gem during her scans of the planet are true, they might have the slim potential of harming us with their mightiest weapons. More likely though, they have the potential to reduce their very planet to a barren wasteland useless to us. If we unleash the hellfire you so crave upon the planet, they might very well find the resolve to use their weapons in such a manner just to spite us, and thus make our patience wasted!"

"Clamoring for peace? That's not like you, sister." Yellow cocked an eyebrow. "Or is it that you worry for that little Lapis, the last of that little pet project you were so proud about?"

" _That_ has nothing do with it," Blue growled, but then calmed and spoke emotionlessly once more. "The fleets will come, no doubt, but after the Gems are destroyed. The implied threat of destroying the humans' cities with our unknown technology, the 'what-if' of whether peace is still possible, will stay their hands and distract them long enough for our agents to reactivate the Kindergartens, unleash the experiments hiding within and start the conversion process, along with eliminating any major trouble-spots. The actual act of wanton destruction will push them to desperation like wild beasts; secrecy will allow us to bury the blades in their backs long before they realize the truth."

"How poetic, sister. Been brushing up on it in the past few millennia?" Yellow then frowned. "Still, that's all well and good, but that does nothing about the Crystal Gems. How shall we eliminate them from the equation if we won't, to quote, unleash hellfire upon them?"

"Continue with our current methods," Blue suggested. "This time, we send a small team of loyal, elite veterans to the planet, this time with a clear objective in mind. They finish the job Jasper and Peridot started, then lay the foundations for our fleets to finish the job. No more capturing, no more tricks. Swift assassinations and the rebels' gemstones on display in a case when they return."

"Why not go ourselves?"

"And stir up rumors? After thousands of years dedicated to ensuring the next generation knows nearly nothing of the rebellion against us save it was a failure, you would inevitably spark talk if you were to go to the very world that defied us unless it was part of an invasion fleet. I've already stated we cannot do yet, unfortunately."

Yellow conceded the point. The Earth Rebellion had been the greatest threat to the power of the Diamond Authority in nearly all of its existence for what it represented. Much of the time afterwards had been spent weeding out potential threats inspired by Rose's treason on various world and even the Homeworld. Things were stable for now, but if word got out the Homeworld's greatest rebel was still alive...

"No one would bat an eye if a small team of soldiers was sent to an unknown sector of the universe for a mission, but one of us surely will. Rose Quartz's rebellion is but a memory in our people's minds. Better for it to stay that way."

Yellow grunted. "Still, the idea of bringing Rose Quartz back to Homeworld for a well-deserved public execution is quite tempting..."

"Rose is a legend of disobedience," Blue countered. "A public death would make her a martyr for any would-be insurrection. Don't think I'm aware that there is unrest among our worlds that would find strength in using her as a symbol. Right now, she is a practically a myth to the majority of Gems. Let her fade away as one forever."

Yellow could see the logic behind it, though a part of her still wanted to see Rose Quartz before her in chains right before she ripped the rebel's Gem out of her stomach and crushed it into dust before her eyes. She buried those thoughts regretfully, accepting that some things just weren't meant to be...for now. "...What do you say, White?" she asked, turning their third companion. "You've been far too quiet recently."

The question was directed towards the last occupant of the room, who was staring at them with an unreadable expression even by their standards. Like her fellows, she was identical to them in all save the fact her body was greyish-white where their's was golden-yellow and royal-blue, but there was another key difference. Namely, the long, thin scar across her face from left temple to right chin. Normally such an injury was trivial for Gems to heal, but White had kept it as a memento of the only Gem she ever acknowledged as her equal aside from the two across from her.

Not surprising, as Rose had once had the potential to stand alongside them as a ruler of Homeworld.

"I agree with Blue upon this venture. The Crystal Gems are a threat to us, but as of now they are a minor one as long as no other Gems become aware of their continued existence. However, I disagree in what method we must take. We have already sent a veteran who fought against Rose's armies to Earth and she failed. Sending more will no doubt result in similar results, especially since they're no doubt aware of our new technology and, worst-case scenario, have repurposed that technology for their own needs. We must also assume that, if any of our soldiers survived, they are no doubt captured, on the run, or working with the Gems. Thus, the secondary objective must be to find and silence them if required."

Blue and Yellow turned their full attention to White, the former crossing her arms and the other stroking her chin in contemplation. "You're certain that's wise?" Blue asked with just the hint of hesitation. Yellow resisted the urge to scoff; Blue had gotten soft in the past centuries.

"A regretful choice, but it is for the greater good," White replied. "After all, there would be no need to eliminate them if they still fight for us, right?"

Blue nodded. Yellow had to once more resist an urge, this one to laugh. A Diamond actually worried for her subjects? Blue had always been the one to prefer mercy, but even Yellow knew for who the concern now displayed was for. True, the Lapis Lazulis were powerful and valuable combatants as well as costly to create, but hardly irreplaceable.

'Have you finally succumbed to Rose's sweet and foolish ideals of compassion, dear sister?' the yellow gem wondered. 'I expected more of you.'

"We must send a Gem who understands the Crystal Gems on a more personal level," White continued to speak, oblivious to her sister's thoughts, "One who can exploit their inner weaknesses and eliminate them, as well as have motivation to do so. In addition, it must be a Gem who would have no qualms over eliminating the three who went on the previous mission if necessary, and be capable of carrying out their mission of reactivating Kindergarten and dealing with the experiments."

"You're speaking of a traitor," Yellow surmised, stroking her chin more and more as she mulled over the idea. "And a powerful one no doubt."

"But just one?" Blue asked. "That seems...unexpected."

"And exactly what the Crystal Gems will think," White replied. "They will be expecting a squad of elites, not a single operative with personal knowledge of them. And by the time they realize the truth, it will likely be too late."

"I like it," Yellow admitted with a wicked smile. "The idea of Rose Quartz's oh-so-mighty army finally destroyed because of a former friend...it almost makes up for not being able to do it myself."

"And you have such a Gem at the ready?" Blue asked. "One up to the task?"

White smiled, but unlike Yellow's it was devoid of any emotion. White had never let things like that stop her once a goal was in mind. "Oh yes. She will be quite eager to finish the job she started so many centuries ago, I think. She still has a score to settle with Rose Quartz after all."

The other Diamonds blinked in surprise, turning towards each other before looking back. " _Her?_ " Blue asked. "You mean to tell us she's still alive after 5,000 years? I thought she went insane long ago and you put her down."

"You would be surprised just how much hatred and revenge are a motivator for sanity," White replied. "Her cracked gem will not hinder her. If anything, it has likely helped her grow even stronger."

Yellow grunted. "Well, she _was_ the strongest of them, so I suppose it makes sense...but how do you know she won't just betray us? She was a traitor to Rose, there's nothing to stop her being one to us."

White shook her head. "Oh, but there is. We have the ability to give her the one thing she wants more than anything. We uphold that end, and her loyalty is assured. Trust me, my sisters. I will see to it personally."

* * *

She awoke.

The sleep was not as normal beings sleep. Gems don't even normally sleep in the first place. Even when they retreat into their Gems, a right lost to her even if she was to somehow be free of her bonds if she hoped to maintain what remained of her sense of self, they're not asleep; they're perfectly conscious in their own pocket-dimension mind-scape, even if they're unaware of the outside world. Even Gems that choose to partake in such an activity would be able to sense the difference though. Awakening naturally from sleep is a slow, comfortable thing, as if the mind is slowly drifting back together.

For her, it was sudden and quick, as if everything had snapped into place all at once. It was every bit as jarring, confusing and unpleasant as being blasted with a million volts of electricity, a feeling she knew all too well.

The first thing she became aware of was the fact her limbs were still bound, as they had been for countless centuries. The chains pulsed green in the dark, the only span of illumination in the room in which she resided, showing her how they wrapped about her form and limbs, trailing off in numerous directions to attach to the walls in the far distance. She almost wished at times the glow didn't exist, for it always hurt her eyes whenever she first awoke and always brought false hope of release.

The next thing was the fact she couldn't recall her own name.

That didn't phase her as much as one would think though. It was a natural consequence of the 'sleep' she indulged in, the only way to hold on to the one thing that had yet to be taken from her...

'Z...Zir...Zir-co?...no...yes...'

Unbidden, a small smile crossed her face, hidden by the great hood over her head.

'My name is Zircon,' she thought to herself with growing strength, with it more memories returning. 'Yes...so I still have that...'

Having reconnected with her identity, the smile faded as she began to search the room she was in once again, yet to the naked eye she didn't move a muscle. Even so, she completed her search. Nothing had changed since the last time she awoke. Why then, she wondered, had she?

 _Can you hear me?_

The voice seemed to whisper throughout the chamber, but the prisoner called Zircon had long ago learned the voice was not truly echoing through the physical chamber, but rather the one in her mind. A strange manner of communication, but one her jailer preferred even if it required special technology. After all, unlike most Gems, she had the ability to answer back, and trust White Diamond to always keep a potential weapon sharpened whilst ready to break it into pieces at a moment's notice.

 _I know you hear me. Cease the pretense of sleep._

The prisoner stiffened. She hadn't even realized she hadn't moved or responded aside from her smile since her awakening. Had her imprisonment truly taken so much from her, who had raged and ranted for centuries trying to escape? She sighed and acknowledged the other, a small part of her grateful, though mostly guilty, for the contact after so long. Silence such as hers made one desperate to hear another's voice, even if it was just for a few moments and a voice better not heard at all. _I hear you. To what do I owe the honor of meeting one of the Diamond Authority?_

 _Would you be free?_

Those four words were enough to silence anything she might have said next. Confusion and hope overwhelmed her, so strong she was certain the other sensed it over the link. Zircon was certain she even felt a sense of amusement emanate from her, one who claimed to be above such petty emotions.

Then again, nothing said a perfect being couldn't indulge at times. _I will take that as a 'yes'. What would you do with that freedom if I was to grant it?_

Memory washed over her, and with it came anger and resentment. She felt her thoughts turn red with desire and sick satisfaction as images of everything the Homeworld ever built came crashing down around them, fires consuming everything as the sound of blades clashed, lasers fired, and beings screamed out their last breaths in fear. She especially savored the image of her, unbound and standing before a quivering Diamond Authority, blade in hand to finish what should have be done long ago...

 _NO!_ She buried those thoughts, fought with the rising emotions within that threatened the balance she had sought to maintain for so long. For a moment, an image of a great beast looking down with crimson eyes filled her mind's eye, threatening to devour her with gaping maw, before she succeeded. The images ceased, along with the anger, leaving her drained.

 _Yes, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by your answer._ White Diamond replied as if nothing happened, indeed sounding more like she was observing a particularly curious type of crystal than anything else. _You have the power and will to do both as well. Unfortunately, I can't provide you that, but I can offer a close second...if you would only serve._

 _You have nothing I want anymore,_ the prisoner snarled, though careful to keep a measure on her emotions, _I will not be a slave to your whims._

 _Not even for a chance to deal with the Crystal Gems?_

 _Now_ Zircon's body moved, her head jerking upwards as her limbs shifted, the chains clanking ominously in the gloom. It was a testament to the surprise within the being at the question. This movement apparently did not go unnoticed by White Diamond, who pressed on.

 _Don't be so surprised. Did you just forget about your former companions in your years of imprisonment? I find that hard to believe even if it has been over five thousand years, given you ended up like this because of your_ own _treachery._

 _I did what had to be done,_ the imprisoned replied, though she seemed to be trying to convince herself just as much. _I ended the war..._

 _And Rose Quartz thanked you with a blade through your gem and abandoned you to us,_ White finished. _Delude yourself as much as you want. You betrayed your own comrades to us but failed to deliver your end of the bargain. If it wasn't for my counsel, Yellow Diamond would have had you executed in the most painful ways possible to vent her frustration and Blue would have done nothing to aid you. Luckily, I foresaw the usefulness of keeping you alive for another day...a decision which has finally paid off._

Realization began to flow back into her mind. _You mean..._

 _Rose Quartz and the Crystal Gems still live, it would appear. My companions and myself have finally decided the time to accept Earth into our waiting arms is now, but even reduced to a few pathetic soldiers the Crystal Gems still continue to mock us. We even sent one of our veteran commanders, a Jasper, to the planet to deal with them, but it would appear that once more we have underestimated Rose Quartz's ability._

They had often done that, the prisoner remembered. How many times had Rose defied the Diamond Authority only to come out on top? Even she had underestimated the resolve that the pink Gem had hidden within her, the inner strength to lead their armies against the greatest power in the cosmos despite the odds, all to protect the world called Earth...

Zircon narrowed her eyes. _Earth..._ how ironic the very thing that had united the two of them in the beginning would be the root of their eventual split and betrayal.

 _Thus, we have decided the best choice to deal with the remnants of the Crystal Gems is to send one who understands them better than any other, General,_ White continued, using a title that had once meant the world to the prisoner. _We want you to finish what you started at that final battle so long ago. Kill Rose Quartz and her remaining soldiers, along with a few traitors we suspect have joined their ranks, and bring their broken Gems back to us as proof. Do this, and not only will we free you permanently, but you will have what we promised you so long ago in exchange for leading Rose and her army into a trap to be eliminated._

The imprisoned Gem's eyes widened, unable to grasp what they were saying. They would actually do it?

 _The Diamond Authority does not go back on its word...but only_ if _you succeed._

For a moment, the imprisoned Zircon hesitated. Memories of her days as a Crystal Gem came back to her, fighting alongside her sisters-in-arms, protecting them from harm as they fought for Earth and its people. She recalled the days of contemplation and, yes, even companionship with them, training to-be warriors for battle and counseling the one she had once called sister.

But then the memory returned, as it always did, of their final battle. Bested in the end by the most unexpected of opponents, lying at the mercy of the one whose trust she had cast aside for the greater good.

 _"Why Zircon? Just tell me that, if nothing else."_

 _"Rose...all I ever wanted...was to save_ them. _Do you think I_ wanted _this? Earth was and still is doomed no matter which way this ends! I had to do it or the Homeworld would have destroyed everything, our dreams and hopes for the future! I had to save as many as I could no matter what. That's why...I had to betray you..._ _"_

 _"...Maybe you're right, sister. I understand that...but this was never the right way to help them, and you never betrayed me. You betrayed your family and yourself._ _"_

Her eyes went down to her octagonal Gem, her namesake, right on top of where her throat was. Once a pure transparent blue, now a dull green and purple as if it was infected, split along the middle with cracks spreading out like a cancer. She could still remember the feeling of that blade piercing it, piercing _her_ as her body threatened to rip itself apart in agony.

'There's no need to hesitate anymore,' a voice in the back of her head whispered. 'It's time to finish what we started. For our sakes...and theirs.'

 _...Fine. What do I need to do?_

Suddenly, the chains binding her vanished, causing her to fall to her knees in surprise. Some distance away, a section of the wall opened up to reveal white light, so intense to the prisoner that she had to shield her eyes until they adjusted.

 _Simple, Prisoner #4811,_ White Diamond's voice came one last time. _Just walk through the door._

* * *

White Diamond allowed the video screen to fade, finally turning to her fellow Diamonds who had watched and heard all silently, they too capable of reading the thoughts of others, at least with the aid of the equipment in the room. "Well?"

Blue, ever the cautious one, still didn't look convinced. "It's still a risky move. She might yet have a change of heart and chose to aid the Gems. Then we'll be right back to where we started."

"She will not, sister. We offer her the one thing she so desires and the Crystal Gems could never guarantee, the very thing she betrayed them to us for in the first place. Her desire for it has not abated in all these years, but rather only increased. All she has to do is finish them all off, and in exchange, we grant her that one small kindness."

"It'll be quite the reunion," Yellow mocked. "Sisters-in-arms, separated for thousands of years. But do you really believe that misfit will survive to finish the Gems considering her current state? It'll be a miracle if her sanity even holds together for that long."

White brought up another screen, showing the former prisoner slowly hobbling towards the light as seen from someone looking into the cell from the opening. She caught a glimpse of a surprisingly tall, thin but fit woman with alternating patterns of pale blue, green and mauve skin that looked strangely _reptilian_ , long black hair hanging limply from her head, and a grey cloak that wrapped around her form and head that made her seem much larger than she really was. However, it was the eyes that held the attention. They were pupil-less, almost mirror-like in quality with no irises. They were also pure white as if she was blind, which combined with her eerie skin tone made her look otherworldly even by the standard of Gems.

Perhaps even more than the eyes though, it was the look in them. They were the eyes of one who would not die, not until she succeeded in her goals. They were the eyes of a true believer, a fanatic with nothing to lose.

"Yes, Yellow Diamond," White finally said with a small satisfied smile. "I have faith in General Zircon, former second-in-command to Rose Quartz. And I'm certain she'll be looking forward to reuniting with them...when she's not trying to murder them as a warrior or a monster, that is."

* * *

 **And that's it for this opening chapter. Next one we check in on everybody's favorite Gems. Before we go though, a bit of trivia.**

Zircon is not a very-well known gemstone, but it is one of the most important of today as well. One of the most well-known diamond substitutes before the introduction of diamond stimulants, zircon is actually the oldest known mineral on the planet and even older than the moon itself at over 4.4 billion years old. As such, it's actually an important part of gemology, forming a separate discipline known as 'zirconology' dedicated to helping analyzing the history of earth through the traces of uranium ore within and the decayed half-lives of said ore.

In terms of mythology, zircon is an official birthstone for people born in December and treasured since the Middle Ages under such names as 'jacinth' and 'hyacinth'. The name 'zircon' is thought to be derived from the Persian word "zargun" which means "gold-colored". Hindu poets wrote of the "kalpa tree", the ultimate gift to the gods, which was a glowing tree covered with gemstone fruit with leaves of zircon.

During the Middle Ages, zircon was said to aid sleep, bring prosperity, and promote honor and wisdom in its owner. Zircon is also assigned to the (now dwarf) planet Pluto, named after the Roman god of the Underworld who resides over both the eternal afterlives of souls and the underground treasures of the earth.

 **Just decided to add this bit of information as both fun facts and clues as to what powers and weapons Zircon possesses, as well as a little glimpse to her personality. Feel free to speculate to yourselves, my faithful viewers. Review, fave and follow as you desire, and I hope to see you all next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yo everyone, X the Reaper here with the second chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.**

 **Alright, let's do this!**

 **(For reference sake, while this story's exact placement in the Steven Universe timeline is still variable, it takes place definitely after the events of "Chille Tid", where Steven contacts Lapis in Malachite's mind-scape).**

* * *

"Is he still out there?"

Pearl nearly flinched at the sound of Garnet's voice from behind her, but didn't dare turn around until she could confirm the fusion's question. Thankfully, it only took her a second or two to locate the source of both of their concerns before she looked back into her leader's face.

"Yes," she replied simply. "He's been like that ever since the dream."

Garnet said nothing, simply joining the thin Gem at the window. As one they gazed out onto the beach, noticing the sunrise off in the distance with an almost clinical detachment. While always a sight even after so many centuries on this planet, they had only eyes for the solitary figure sitting cross-legged near the surf, staring off into the distance with what they knew was equal parts longing and worry.

That had become the norm ever since Steven had made contact with the mind of Lapis Lazuli in his dreams, nearly a week ago. A week since the Homeworld Gem had apparently given up her individuality to the collective conscience of the fusion Malachite to both keep one of the greatest threats the Crystal Gems had ever faced contained and out of the control of her fellow Gem Jasper, and to protect the boy. Ever since, Steven had gone along with every expedition out into the ocean he could to try and help find her, spending most of his free time in-between staring out into the ocean as if hoping she would return any second.

Of course, for all any of them knew that could very well happen...along with the fact there was no guarantee of which or even _if_ one of Malachite's collective personalities or an entirely new one would be controlling the green behemoth's actions.

"Where's Amethyst?" Pearl finally asked, hoping to break the silence.

"Asleep," Garnet answered. "Last night's search took a bit out of her."

"Still nothing?"

Garnet said nothing, her silence more than an answer. Pearl resisted the urge to grit her teeth, hating the feeling of helplessness that seemed to pervade the atmosphere. She hated the fact that Steven was no doubt tearing himself up on the inside waiting for an answer to a question that had no easy solutions. She hated the fact that for all her power and ability she couldn't do anything to truly assuage that worry. Most of all, she hated the fact that she couldn't shake the feeling that one way or another things were not going to end on a happy note in this endeavor.

"I'll go with you next time," she offered. "Amethyst can sleep it off and stay with Steven."

Garnet grunted, but Pearl knew the tall Gem's mind was on other matters entirely. "Have you tried talking to him?"

"I did. Doesn't seem to be helping though. I don't think anything _will_ until we find them."

Both of them watched as another joined Steven on the beach, a young brown girl with long, puffy dark-brown hair. She sat down next to him, and while neither Gem could hear what was being said, they could see the shifts in body language, and the sudden animateness of Steven's actions plus the faint sounds of happy laughter drifting off from the beach put them both at ease slightly.

"Connie seems to know what will though," Garnet said with some trace of amusement before growing serious again. "Make no mistake though Pearl, we _will_ find them...and not just for Steven's sake."

Pearl understood the unstated message. They owed Lapis far too much to simply give up; she had given up everything to save a planet she didn't even care for, despite everything that had happened to her both directly and indirectly because of the Crystal Gems themselves. Finding and helping her were the least they could do after everything she had done. Even Peridot still being on the run was secondary; after all, with her limited resources they could afford to lay off the search for her for a little while longer.

'It's what Rose would have done,' Pearl told herself as she thought about their former leader, a smile briefly appearing on her face. "It really is amazing, isn't it?" she asked aloud, crossing her arms.

"What?"

"How much Steven really is like Rose. Always caring about the people she loved no matter what their pasts, always hurting when they were suffering...it just gets me sometimes."

Garnet smiled slightly. "She would be proud to see the boy he's growing up to be, and all of us wouldn't have him any other way."

An ungodly noise like a cross between an explosion and a cat yowling suddenly sounded from behind them, breaking the mood entirely as the two Gems turned their attention to the source.

"Was that the stove?" Pearl asked, realizing the sound came from the kitchen and, suddenly remembering she had placed a pie inside there earlier, fearing that the appliance had malfunctioned. However, she saw no black smoke emerging from it, seemingly unchanged from last she saw.

"No, I believe that was Amethyst getting breakfast and not being quite awake," Garnet replied when their eyes landed on the bar, turning away casually as she walked outside.

Sure enough, when Pearl got a closer look she saw that the purple Gem was sitting at the bar, eyes blurry with sleep and hair sticking up randomly as she chewed on what seemed to be a waffle sandwich with mustard filling, the yellow condiment dripping out onto the counter. Seemingly feeling Pearl's disapproving gaze she glanced over at her before giving a lazy wave of her hand, turning her attention back to her meal without a word.

"How on Earth did she sneak right behind us into the kitchen without us noticing?" she murmured quietly to herself. "I'm certain she wasn't there when I turned around just a second ago..."

* * *

Of course, not every Gem found herself in such fortunate straits on this morning.

 _"'Go to Earth,' they said. 'It'll be easy,' they said."_

Peridot had found herself repeating those particularly fateful lines quite a bit to herself in the past few weeks. As she sat down on a great big rock in the middle of some sort of forest with only the sound of birds and insects around her, going over several charts and graphs on her data log, they came back to her with a particularly strong sense of anger.

"Easy my posterior," she muttered darkly. "I should be on my ship sending drones to do this, not in the middle of nowhere with no idea how to get off this rock. But nooo, those Crystal clods just _had_ to keep getting in the way..."

Alas, without any real access to warp pad technology on the planet, most of which no doubt was monitored by the rebels here anyways, or any manner of space-worthy aircraft (and she doubted any of these humans had developed one of sufficient ability to get her back to even the nearest conquered planet), the green Gem knew she was grounded here until anymore Homeworld reinforcements arrived. The best she could do was keep on the move and stay out of sight of the Crystal clods while she waited.

And even that was a risky thing, as she couldn't be certain said reinforcements' mission priorities wouldn't involve dealing with her in a more _permanent_ manner. Her anger dwindled as she shuddered at the thought. The Diamond Authority did not tolerate and had no use for failure among the Gem ranks, and with her current track record of success on this planet, the potential of being branded a failure and being dealt with accordingly was fast becoming a very real possibility.

"That's why I've got to make this work," she muttered quietly as she went over the data in front of her eyes again, specifically on the status of the Kindergartens and the fusion experiments buried below them. "If I can at least prove I'm not a traitor and I've attended to my tasks to the best of my ability, they won't use me as the next test subject for Gem research...most likely."

At least there had been a few bright spots in the form of the experiments. Even if the failures at that particular Kindergarten had no doubt been disposed of by the Crystal Gems, the data she collected as well as the specimens that had already awakened were already in a safe place and ready for a potential rescue party to collect.

'If only I had a ship to help reach the other Kindergartens and check up on the specimens there...'

A rustle in the underbrush drew her out of her musing. Instantly she dispelled her screen and reassembled her fingers back to normal, scanning her surroundings. She noticed that the woods around here had grown eerily silent as well, as if everything was holding its breath for something to happen.

'An animal? No, that wouldn't explain the sudden quiet...one of the Gems?'

Fighting the rising panic within, she slowly charged the fingers of her left hand with electricity as she prepared to escape with her right-

A branch snapped to her left, but in the silence it was like the boom of thunder. With a barely contained yelp of surprise she fired directly at the area the noise came from as she changed her right hand digits into rotor blades and began to lift off the ground-

Something barreled out of the woods from her _right_ side, smashing into her bodily and sending them both crashing into the ground. Peridot caught a glimpse of something gray as she struggled to free herself, but whatever gripped her had her in a vice.

"L-Let me go!" she shouted in a panic as she landed with her back to the ground, trying to maneuver her hands so she could shock her attacker, yet it was as if whatever held her was as immovable as a mountain.

"Calm down, Peridot," the figure told her from above, "before you force me to take drastic measures."

The technician blinked. That voice...it was unfamiliar to her, but she was certain she caught a glimpse of oddly-colored skin, not akin to the natives of this planet, beneath the gray cloak of her captor. That meant it had to be a Gem, but one unknown to her. That could only mean...

"You're from Homeworld..." she breathed, not quite certain she fully believed it.

The figure didn't say anything, but she did let go and moved to sit where Peridot had but moments before, the open part of her hooded cloak not once leaving the fallen Gem. Peridot slowly got to her knees, but stayed where she was when the figure held up her hand, realizing she was to stay still. Looking upon her potential savior, she noticed that whoever it was had to be nearly Jasper's height, as even squatting on the rock she still towered over her smaller form.

"H-How did you find me?" she couldn't help but ask. "And where were-what was-"

"An emergency distress beacon from your ship's escape pod," the Gem answered. "It took time, but I managed to locate the echoes of its last transmissions some distance from here near a human city, the area where your ship apparently first landed. From there, I simply expanded my ship's search to the surrounding areas until I found a lone Gem signal quite a long distance away from any others." A slight cock of the head brought Peridot's attention to the area of the clearing she had fired upon. "As for how I caught you, I simply broke a branch to distract you."

"But you were on the other side of the clearing...how could you have..." she trailed off when she noticed something among the smoldering plants she had struck. A large mammal with antlers laid in the center of the destruction, a coat of brown and white that had become mostly black by her attack.

"Animal minds," the speaker said with a strange level of clinical detachment. "Very limited in scope and imagination, but perfect for distractions. It was almost insulting how easy it was to bend to my will and make it walk to its death." The Gem turned back to her disturbed companion. "But where are my manners? I should introduce myself."

Here the Gem stood up on the rock and removed her hood, causing Peridot to start as she looked upon her alien features. "You may call me Zircon, Peridot."

The green Gem took in the cloaked one's appearance with growing unease, including her skin and eyes, but it was when she caught sight of the cracked gemstone on Zircon's neck that she nearly had a freak-out. "Your Gem...but you're...and the Diamonds..."

"Yes," Zircon admitted as she lightly tapped the damaged stone. "A memento from the war for this planet so long ago. However, the Authority saw fit to place me in charge of their newest one-Gem expedition to Earth, trusting I would be capable of carrying out the necessary tasks at hand."

Peridot's eyes widened when she realized Zircon just said 'one-Gem'. Suddenly, any hope of a swift rescue seemed as far away as Homeworld was from Earth. If the Authority only sent one Gem here and said Gem had instantly made a bee-line to the first straggler she found, that could only mean one of the 'necessary tasks' mentioned was-

Zircon smiled, but it wasn't friendly. It wasn't even like the savage grins Jasper had occasionally flashed when the thought of battle had come up during their mission to Earth. It was more along the lines of a smile a being would give as they reassured someone everything was going to be fine...right before plunging the knife into the unsuspecting victim's back.

"Good, you're pretty clever. I suppose I shouldn't have to tell you not to lie, since your life is on the line."

"I-I am no traitor! I speak the truth!"

"I'll hold you to that," Zircon replied, her grin vanishing to be replaced with an unreadable mask, her voice flat and disinterested. "Because if you lie, I will personally break your Gem into pieces with my bare hands, so slowly and skillfully you'll be awake to watch your entire body shatter apart before I finally put you out of your misery by grinding it to dust. Trust me, better for you to be an honest traitor than to try and lie your way out. I might consider mercy if you just confess."

Eyes wide, Peridot could only nod her head. Something about this Gem instantly set her on edge, and it wasn't just the fact her gemstone was cracked. Those white eyes...her voice seemed stable enough, but she could see the madness brewing behind those mirrors, just waiting to be unleashed.

"Now tell me, where are your comrades? My sources told me you came to Earth with a Jasper and a Lapis Lazuli, yet I don't see or sense them anywhere nearby."

"I-I don't know..." Noticing the narrowing of her interrogator's eyes, she quickly added. "I'm serious! Our ship was beginning to crash due to the Crystal clods, err, _Gems_ , breaking out and taking over, so I fled in an escape pod before it could. Last I was aware, Jasper and Lapis were still on the ship with them, so they're either dead or captured."

"And you didn't bother to confirm it either way because...?"

"I'm a technician, not a fighter," Peridot answered. "I'm not skilled enough to handle them on my own and my pod didn't have the necessary equipment to help me try, even before it was damaged upon crashing. I didn't and still don't have the necessary resources to even observe from a distance."

Those white eyes bored into hers for a moment before the Gem nodded her head. "Very well. Where did they land?"

"Right near the Crystal Gems' base, where we first landed." Slowly lifting her right hand, she changed it to data-pad form and showed the Gem a small map, detailing both their current location and where the Crystal Gems were. Zircon scanned the map and nodded her head.

"Very good. That's where the ship's sensors picked up the majority of the Gem signals." Looking up towards Peridot, Zircon cocked her head. "How many remain among the Gem ranks?"

"There are five members of the rebel's group," the green Gem replied. "An Amethyst grown from the Kindergarten on the planet, a Ruby and a Sapphire who spend a majority of their time in a Garnet fusion, a defective Pearl-" Peridot was tempted to stop when she noticed just the slightest narrowing of Zircon's eyes at that mention, but continued out of fear, "and Rose Quartz herself, who has apparently regenerated into the form of a young human boy called a 'Steven'..."

"What?!" Peridot flinched at the tone in the Gem's voice, eyes glaring straight at her. "If you jest I will rip out your Gem for daring to mock both me and the name of Rose-"

"It's the truth!" Peridot quickly changed the map to show images of each of the Crystal Gems, including the one called 'Steven', and showed it to her. Even as she did so, she changed the fingers of her other hand into another screen, showing Zircon a recording of the boy summoning a giant shield to protect his fellow Crystal Gems from her spaceship's main laser. Peridot watched with bated breath as Zircon's face went through various stages of anger, disbelief, confusion, and finally interest as she stared at both.

"...Impossible...but the truth's there...could she- _did_ she?...there's only one way to find out..."

Peridot only caught fragments of Zircon's mutterings, but since the figure seemed to calm with each word, she decided to take it as proof she at least wouldn't die a gruesome death. Finally, the Gem looked back towards her.

"What of your mission parameters? Have you at least attempted to perform them to the best of your abilities?"

Peridot nodded, changing the screen of Gem images to the very files that she had been overlooking from before. Zircon gave them a brief skim before nodding her head.

"...Very good, Peridot. It would appear that you are truly no traitor to the Homeworld just yet. However, I must make certain of that myself."

Peridot blinked as Zircon stood up. What more proof did she need to prove her loyalty to the cause? Fearing that Zircon actually intended to put her at ease before terminating her, she opened her mouth to say something before the white-eyed Gem held up her hand for silence.

"Do not fear. What I require from you right now is but your simple cooperation and silence."

As she said that, she placed said hand on Peridot's head, right over her Gem. The green alien shuddered slightly at the contact, but dared not move. She found her own eyes being reflected by Zircon's own, and suddenly a strange sense of lethargy overcame her.

"You will be safe, I promise you...though you might feel a strange...pinching sensation in a moment."

Peridot wondered what she meant by that, but her growing tiredness drowned that thought out along with the sudden realization it was being caused by the very being before her.

'I-I can't fall...what is...this...'

The last thing she felt before darkness claimed her was the pinching sensation Zircon spoke of...but it felt less like a physical pinch than something _inside_ her mind...

* * *

Zircon was silent as she sorted through the memories of the Peridot Gem before her, easily holding the now limp technician on her feet. She barely paid any attention to her physical surroundings as she did so, devoting all of her energy to obtaining the information she required. Once such a task would have been simple to her, but ever since her Gem was cracked it required all of her concentration for delicate operations like this unless she desired to leave Peridot as a mindless, babbling idiot.

The temptation was very appealing given her own personal history, but Zircon needed allies to complete her goals, and this technician could very well be the key to doing so.

 _At least this one has a mind I can work with easily,_ she told herself with satisfaction.

Indeed, a being's mind-scape often said much about their personality. Peridot's mind was organized like a perfect filing system, each bit of information carefully stored and labeled in the proper area with clear paths to other relevant places. It was but child's play to find the information she sought.

First, she needed to confirm the Gem's intentions. Peridot had no reason to lie to her if she valued her life and Zircon actually doubted that any of what she had said had been in any way false. Then again, being a Gem who could invade other's minds and take what she wanted over the victim's objections, she often decided that the only way to be sure if someone was lying was to find out personally.

A review of Peridot's more recent memories, from her return to Earth with Jasper and Lapis to capturing the Gems before being captured herself, from escaping and abandoning her pod to staking it out in the wilderness and checking up on the Homeworld fusion experiments, quickly showed her that the green Gem had in fact been telling the truth.

 _At least she's honest. That will come in handy for the future._

Zircon then moved on to the more important parts of said memories, firstly, the fusion experiments. Though in her opinion 'crimes against nature and existence' was a better choice of words for the images she saw, of various limbs of different Gems stuck haphazardly together like some child's incomprehensible sculptures reaching out almost pathetically for someone, anyone to end the torment.

She watched Peridot's almost nonchalant attitude towards those cursed beings who had once been Gems like her with something akin to growing anger, though none towards the green gem specifically. After all, from what she had gleaned from her ship's databanks during her journey here, Peridot was just a product of her times. Such punishments weren't uncommon on Homeworld and all were at risk for it, so it made sense to desensitize oneself from such things in order to properly function.

No, her disgust was towards the Gem race as a whole for accepting this sort of behavior without complaint. This perversion before her was anathema to everything their race had once stood for, and it sickened her.

 _"...thankfully, while some of the fusion experiments have apparently become inert or shattered, the majority are developing properly. Subjects #7593, #9264, #5217, #6402 in particular have all shown exceptional growth since the last recorded examination and have emerged ahead of schedule. I have already sent them to a secure location at..."_

'Look at us, playing God with our very own species as test subjects,' Zircon thought to herself mockingly. Several of those Gems had once been her comrades. She had trained them to fight and die as warriors, yet instead they had been condemned to a living hell, perverted and twisted beyond recognition. 'This is Homeworld mercy and justice for the guilty? We dare to call ourselves the superior race, despite subjecting our fellow Gems to such fates? Many of the 'inferior' species we exterminated in our millions of years of existence never stooped to such levels of depravity!'

 _You're one to talk, hypocrite,_ a treacherous part of her mind told her. _Many of them wouldn't have been there if you hadn't betrayed Rose._

'I did what had to be done...'

 _You did plenty of things that "had to be done",_ the voice countered, gaining strength as an image of a great beast began to form before her. _Is that your rallying cry, the thing you tell yourself every time you shut your eyes and see the shattered gems of all who were fools for trusting you?_ _You call me a monster, yet I wonder which of us is the real one?_

"Enough!" Zircon shouted before calming herself. "Leave me. I do not wish to damage this one's mind."

With a chuckle the voice and image faded. Zircon took a deep breath and glanced around. Everything seemed find on the surface, but the Gem could tell it was a delicate balance being maintained. She needed to finish this quickly before something went wrong.

'Justice will come later...one thing at a time.'

Now that she had decided the technician's fate, Zircon turned her attention to the other part of her necessary intrusion, namely learning more about the one called 'Steven'. She navigated Peridot's thoughts and memories of him from the very beginning, taking note of childish nature and naivety displayed at multiple points, yet also the strange level of innocence and courage he displayed at the same time. She stopped in particular when she watched the memory of the shield being summoned to block her ship's main laser.

'There's no mistaking it,' she thought. 'That color...that spiral, that rose...it could only be Rose Quartz's weapon...but how could _he_ have it?'

She continued to watch, frowning slightly at the actions of Jasper as she demolished the Crystal Gems, though not out of any pity for her former companions. Rather, it was at the sheer callousness of the act and her eagerness at doing so. She hated such battle-hungry behavior, though it had its uses. It was only when she saw Rose's gem right on the boy's bellybutton was she truly satisfied with what she saw.

'...I see...' she realized as she played any and all possible scenarios in her head, smiling thinly as she came to the one conclusion that could answer the conundrum before her. 'To think that the great Rose Quartz would do the unthinkable...yet so like her at the same time. Did you finally understand what I was saying, Rose? Did you realize the truth only in that moment?'

Her curiosity sated, she prepared to leave, though something caught her attention. Turning back, she watched the memories some more, this time focused on the blue Gem who could only be the Lapis Lazuli she was informed about.

 _"_ _He's just a human! He isn't a threat at all! He's not one of them!"_

'Interesting...' she mused. 'From what I understand she was trapped on this planet for thousands of years, yet still shows so much favor for the boy...'

A smile came to her face. 'He might be far more useful than I thought...'

* * *

'Where...am I...?'

Peridot blinked slowly as light suddenly filtered into her eyes, realizing that she was on her back for some reason. Squinting as she brought a hand over her face, she groggily tried to get up from from what she assumed was the ground, only to suddenly lose her balance when she shifted too far to the right and fall off whatever she was laying on to collide with the ground.

'Wait...this is...metal...'

Eyes open in full now as her mind came back up to speed, she realized that what she was hoisting herself was not the grassy, dirt floor of some wilderness, but the familiar green metal of a Gem warship. Looking to her left, she realized that the thing she had rolled off of was some sort of bed, if by 'bed' one meant a metal table of sorts with a pillow for the head area.

Despite the spartan accommodations though, a smile briefly graced Peridot's face. No longer was she roughing it out in some gemforsaken forest, but rather in the comforting familiarity of Gem society. More importantly, it meant she now had the technological means to achieve her mission objectives and forget that any of this horrible trip ever happen.

Her good mood vanished, however, as she began to truly ponder the ramifications of her presence on this ship. Specifically the fact that she was in a small room with only one way out and no doubt locked if the way it seemed to faintly glow was any indication.

"What happened to me?" she said aloud as she remembered the last thing that happened, shuddering as she remembered the gem Zircon's final words before darkness claimed her. Never had she felt so helpless in any situation, even during her first few days after crashing onto the planet. "More importantly, what does this mean for me?"

Slowly getting to her feet, she moved to go to the door. As if waiting for that very moment, the cloaked form of Zircon suddenly opened said door and looked inside, causing the technician to jump back in fright, a small squeak of fear escaping her. Zircon seemed to find this amusing, as she shifted her head slightly as if to hide her expression even more within the hood, though her voice gave nothing away.

"You're awake. Good timing," she stated simply. "You might as well come out now."

"What's going on?" Peridot asked as she acquiesced, not wanting to anger her no doubt new official commander for the mission's duration. "What happened?"

"After I obtained what information I needed from you, I took you back to my ship to rest," Zircon replied, already walking away with Peridot, having no other recourse, following close behind. "You were unconscious for about two hours, more than enough time to send a report to the Authority regarding the state of your mission and your companions."

Peridot felt a lump form in her throat, but did her best not to show fear in her reply. This was the moment that would decide her fate. "That's...very good. And what did they say?"

Zircon said nothing for a good ten seconds, and for Peridot each second was as long as a millenia.

"...They have determined that given...current circumstances and interference...we shall be joined by another Gem from Homeworld to ensure the mission's success. That said, our current objective is to retrieve both Jasper and Lapis Lazuli from whatever circumstances have inconvenienced them to bolster our forces in preparation for combat with the Crystal Gems and her arrival. If necessary, we shall also terminate one or both of them if the situation demands it."

Peridot dared to relax slightly as they continued to traverse the halls. The use of the word 'we' seemed to indicate that she would at least survive as long as the mission was concerned. The question of her survival answered, she began to seriously observe the passageways they were traversing, noting they were narrower than her own ship, as well as seemingly a little...older. There were definite signs of wear and tear along the walls, and she was certain she even saw areas where the ship had seemingly taken damage from internal fighting that weren't fully repaired.

"Yes, she's not quite 'brand-new'," Zircon said to the unspoken question, "However, she _is_ a fully serviceable warship that will serve our purposes as necessary. Expect it to get a little cramped once your comrades join us, but hey, from what I understand your old ship had far too much room, right?"

"Yes, ma'am..." Peridot did not bother to mention that she found her commander's shift in attitude towards her from 'casually threatening to murder' to 'acquaintances' a little jarring. Again she remembered the traces of insanity she saw in those mirror-eyes out in the forest and wisely chose to just go along with whatever Zircon said.

"Anyways, in light of our current objective," the cloaked Gem continued as they finally reached the ship's bridge, motioning Peridot to take head at the console while she followed behind. "We shall need to prepare all available resources to hope to have success. In other words, Peridot, I want you to set a course for wherever you safely stored the fusion experiments collected from the Alpha Kindergarten for retrieval. From there, we shall plan our assault on the Crystal Gems."

Peridot took a moment to familiarize herself with her surroundings and controls. The bridge was significantly smaller than her own ship's, perhaps half as large, and the viewport at the front, also much smaller, showed a familiar view of the planet Earth from orbit, just far enough out that the black of space could be viewed on the 'horizon'. As she suspected when she observed the controls, this ship was definitely an older class, quite possibly a leftover from the last Gem war for the planet.

'I suppose it makes sense if what she says about being a veteran's true...' Turning her head as she prepared to interface with the machine, she couldn't help but ask one question.

"Ma'am, I must ask...do you intend to use the experiments to eliminate the Crystal Gems? If so, I have to suggest against it; while they have developed far faster than scheduled, it could take at the absolute best _weeks_ for them to be ready for actual combat against the Gems. They'd likely be slaughtered in so few numbers and without time to fully adjust to their new forms. In addition, they're just as likely to try and escape or attack _us_ once unleashed: Their obedience conditioning hasn't been completed yet."

Not to mention they were the only true bit of success she had had in all her time on the planet so far, and while she had collected the initial data on them, losing the actual experiments themselves could set back progress in improving the fusion experimentation process, as they were currently the only ones awake and available for extensive study. That information alone could be the difference between life and death for her.

"You are correct in part, Peridot," Zircon replied before staring out the window at Earth. For a moment, the technician could have sworn her cloaked face changed to one of nostalgia and...guilt(?) before hardening. "The experiments would not stand a chance against the Gems in battle once the element of surprise is gone. However, they are simply a necessary sacrifice for the true objective, pieces to be spent in lieu of the greater goal. After all, there are more of them, are there not? We shall replace them as necessary, and trust me when I say it will be worth it. As for control..." here, that mad smile from before reappeared, standing out even from within the hood, "trust me when I say that they will not defy me when I'm done."

"Y-Yes ma'am..." Peridot shakily replied as she interfaced with the controls, inserting the coordinates. As she finished, she felt the ship vibrate as it began to reenter Earth's atmosphere. She spared another glance towards Zircon, only to barely repress a shudder at the continued mad grin from the hood's insides.

Suddenly, she wondered if it might have been safer to take her chances with the Crystal Gems when she had a chance...or if imprisonment/death for treachery might have actually been the _safer_ option.

* * *

 **And so the stage has begun to be set. What exactly is Zircon's plan and how does it involve Steven? Find out next time!**

 **Review, fave and follow my viewers! Tell me what you thought!**


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